Abstract: Soluble ferric chelates and peroxide are employed in a method for degrading organic contaminants such as pesticides in soil. In the practice of the method, soil containing an organic compound having at least one oxidizable aliphatic or aromatic functional group is contacted with an active ferric chelate and a peroxide such as hydrogen peroxide in amounts effective to achieve degradation of the compound in the presence of water at the pH of the soil. In preferred embodiments, at least about 3%, and in some cases at least about 5% or 10%, of the ferric chelate does not sorb to the soil. Example ferric chelates include ferric nitrilotriacetate, ferric hydroxyethyleniminodiacetate, ferric gallate, and mixtures thereof; ferric nitrilotriacetate and ferric hydroxyethyleniminodiacetate are especially preferred in some embodiments.

Abstract: A method for mineralizing pesticides, notably aromatic pesticides, using ferric ion in an acid aqueous solution at room temperature is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the ferric ion is employed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide; degradation occurs in the light or in the dark, although light accelerates the degradation. The method also is functional in the absence of hydrogen peroxide, but light and oxygen is required in this method. Preferred degradation methods are conducted in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and light, and in the absence of large concentrations of organic solvents, chloride, and sulfate.